To support the course: Putin and Lukashenko set common security priorities

Belarus is carrying out serious humanitarian work, helping to organize prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. At a meeting with Alexander Lukashenko on November 10, Vladimir Putin thanked him for this. The head of the republic, in turn, appreciated Moscow's support in the field of security, which includes, among other things, the supply of modern types of weapons. According to political analysts, Minsk masterfully maintains a balance: it does not directly get involved in the conflict, but, relying on an ally, defends its own weight in the architecture of regional security and turns caution into a strategic resource. The importance of the meeting between Putin and Lukashenko on the eve of the second day of negotiations in Abu Dhabi and the CSTO summit is described in the Izvestia article.

What Putin and Lukashenko discussed at the meeting

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Moscow on November 10. The working visit is timed to coincide with the CSTO summit, which will be held on November 11, but upon arrival, the head of the republic immediately went to talks with Vladimir Putin. This is their sixth meeting in 2026.

— I am very glad to see you. Tomorrow we have a full working day, and we will communicate with colleagues during the next session of the CSTO. Of course, as always happens, we will talk about all aspects of our relations: the economy, other humanitarian issues, and security in the broadest sense of the word. We have constant contact with you, and it doesn't stop," Vladimir Putin said.

At the same time, the topic of the Ukrainian crisis was clearly emerging behind the discussions of the traditional bilateral agenda in Novo-Ogaryovo. While preparations for the CSTO summit were underway in the Russian capital, the first day of trilateral talks between Russia, the United States and Ukraine ended in Abu Dhabi.

For Minsk, the situation around Ukraine is a matter of its own security. The republic is sandwiched between unfriendly countries, so its key task is to protect its borders, including countering the "creeping polonization" of the western regions, where Warsaw's influence is increasing, political analyst Dmitry Yelovsky believes. Avoiding conflict with neighbors and preserving sovereignty are likely to form the basis of the final concept of common European security, especially since this agenda has been accepted for discussion, including at the Abu Dhabi talks, experts say.

According to political analyst Yevgeny Minchenko, Alexander Lukashenko's strategy, "which allowed him to avoid direct involvement in the conflict for more than four years," is quite conscious given the vulnerability of the Belarusian territory. Due to the lower strategic depth compared to Russia, the republic risks serious damage in the event of missile or unmanned attacks, the expert emphasizes.

Minsk is interested in any progress in the negotiation process and consistently positions itself as a potential participant in the dialogue and a platform for settlement. Putin, in particular, thanked Lukashenko for his help in organizing humanitarian exchanges between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, which are taking place on the territory of the republic. The last one was held on October 23 according to the formula "270 by 270". The President of Belarus, in turn, thanked his Russian counterpart for his support and assistance with modern types of weapons.

— As for security, I thank you for keeping your word, everything that you promised Belarus in terms of security. We have mastered all types of weapons, the newest ones, and the experience we are gaining, including the whole world, sees this experience in the conflict in Ukraine. We are also studying all this carefully," he said.

According to Lukashenko, combat units have been formed in Belarus — in fact, from the people's militia to the army. He stressed that within the framework of the CSTO agreements, there is no need to worry about security in the western direction: the formations stationed there remain combat-ready and ready to defend the country.

Obviously, the conversation did not end with a protocol meeting, and the head of the Russian Federation, as host, invited his counterpart to continue the conversation in a more informal setting.

"If you're not in a hurry, after this short conversation, I'd like to invite you home for dinner," Vladimir Putin said.

How Moscow prepared for the CSTO summit

On the eve of the session of the CSTO Collective Security Council, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon have already arrived in Moscow. The agenda includes strengthening collective defense mechanisms, discussing current threats and signing about two dozen documents, including the final declaration and the anti—terrorism strategy until 2030.

The capital is already actively preparing for the summit. On November 10, several CSTO events were held at once. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense, as well as the secretaries of the security councils, arrived in the Russian capital for a joint meeting. There were only no representatives of Armenia, whose flag was left without representatives in the general row during the photographing. The policy of Yerevan, which has not paid contributions to the organization's budget since 2024, has turned out to be one of the pressing issues for the participating countries. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that a draft law on depriving Armenia of the right to vote in the organization's bodies would be presented at the summit. The republic will also lose the right to nominate its candidates for positions in the CSTO. At the same time, Yerevan will retain all the basic rights under the collective security treaty, including "the right to collective security itself," Lavrov stressed.

Meanwhile, Armenia is pretending that it is no longer interested in the CSTO. Instead of traveling to Moscow, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan went to a climate conference in Turkey. Sergey Lavrov stressed that the CSTO states act in accordance with the charter, but the organization's door "does not close for Armenia." Moreover, Yerevan did not send an application for withdrawal from the CSTO, as well as for withdrawal from the EAEU, the Russian minister stressed. The member states of this economic association insist that the Armenian authorities hold a referendum and choose whether to remain in the EAEU or move towards the European Union.

Another topic was the strengthening of the overall air defense system. According to Sergey Lavrov, the CSTO countries are preparing measures to strengthen air defense and collective aviation in case of possible attacks on infrastructure. Moreover, Ukraine has previously attacked the facilities of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium and the Turkish Stream.

"I do not rule out that at some stage, in such, you know, aggressive rage, the Kiev regime may well start punishing our friends and allies," Lavrov said at a press conference.

The issue of Ukraine is inextricably linked to the common security system in Eurasia. Some of the NATO member states intend to deploy their nuclear arsenals and their means of delivery near the western borders of the CSTO, which entails an unprecedented escalation of the regional situation, said CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov. Answering a question from a correspondent of Izvestia, he noted that the CSTO's area of responsibility is not limited to the territories of the participating states, since what is happening in neighboring regions also affects their security and economy.

Representatives of the CSTO member states positively assessed the results of the Russian presidency. Part of the discussions at the meeting were devoted to plans for 2027, when the leadership of the association will be transferred to Tajikistan.